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Venus Magellan SAR FMAP Left Look Global Mosaic 75m

This mosaic was created from the Magellan F-BIDRs, (Full resolution Basic Image Data Records), the highest resolution radar images of the Venus surface (~75 m/pixel). For a smaller download, this base is also available for download in a slightly lossy Jpeg2000 file format under ancillary products and it is available for processing (clipping and format conversion) using the Map-A-Planet 2 "processing" button on the right.

Because Venus is shrouded by a dense, opaque atmosphere, conventional optical cameras cannot be used to image its surface. Instead, Magellan's imaging radar uses bursts of microwave energy somewhat like a camera flash to illuminate the planet's surface. The radar pulses are not sent directly downward but rather at a slight angle to the side of the spacecraft--the radar is thus called "side-looking radar." In addition, special processing techniques are used on the radar data to result in higher resolution as if the radar had a larger antenna, or "aperture"; the technique is thus often called "synthetic aperture radar," or SAR.

The Magellan SAR is a side-looking radar system. Radar pulses are not sent directly downward but rather at a slight angle to the side of the spacecraft. In the case of Left-Look Magellan SAR data, the radar system was sending signals to the left of the spacecraft. The SAR operated in this left-looking mode during cycles 1 and 3 of the mission.

Publisher

USGS Astrogeology Science Center

Publication Date

1 August 1994

Author

USGS Astrogeology Science Center

Originator

Group

PDS

Added to Astropedia

13 July 2015

Modified

31 December 2015

General

Purpose

To create a mosaic of the SAR images tile generated during cycles 1 and 3 of the Magellan mission.

Keywords

Contact and Distribution

Access Constraints

public domain

Access Instructions

Due to the file size, this mosaic may be difficult to download using a browser. Wget or other download tool should work better. This can also be cropped and map projected using MAP2 (the process button on the right).

Use Constraints

None

Data Status and Quality

Time Period of Content Begin

15 September 1990

Time Period of Content End

14 September 1992

Currentness Reference

Ground condition

Progress

Complete

Update Frequency

None planned

Logical Consistency Report

left-looking (Magellan cycles 1 and 3)

Completeness Report

This map contains about 92% of the planet

Process Description

Software to reproject, mosaic, and do cosmetic seam removal to put the image data in FMAP format was developed by Kay Edwards and Tracie Sucharski (USGS). Cartographic processing was done by Robert Sucharski (USGS).